A question from Edward Walton – “How can I get a large amount of screwback from long shots?

This is one of those questions that’s quite easy to answer, but in practice is quite difficult. The problem here is that when you strike the cueball below its centre, it spins backwards but travels forwards. When the cueball hits the object ball, the momentum is lost and as the ball is spinning backwards, the ball travels backwards.

However, the problem with long shots is that by the time the cueball reaches the object ball, it has lost all of the spin it gained when it left the tip of the cue. It is still possible though to get some reaction. Firstly, raise the butt end of the cue higher than normal. Cue right down on the cueball as low as you can hit it without launching it. When you take the shot force the cue through the bridge further than normal, and harder. This should give the cueball the extra backward spin mometum required for some screwback

You will find that it is never as good as when there is less distance to the object ball, and sometimes it won’t work at all. Its something that has to be practiced and if at all possible not actually used – try to get position some other way.

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Player Profile: Ronnie O’Sullivan

What can be said about Ronnie O'Sullivan that has not been said at least hundreds of times before. This young man can play left handed and has the ability to knock in a maximum break in under five and a half minutes. At 17 he was the youngest ever player to turn pro and many say that he is the most talented player ever to lift a snooker cue.